The Ark of the Covenant: Will It Be Seen Again?
By Pr. almodad amos yaragwiller
Introduction
For thousands of years, the Ark of the Covenant has been one of the great mysteries of Biblical history. Will this sacred ark, which contained the Ten Commandments, be seen again in the future, or has it been lost forever? Will there come a time when God will reveal it so that it can be seen by the world? This article focuses on what Ellen G. White says about this subject. The article discusses the existence of the heavenly Ark of the Covenant and how the earthly one was hidden. What will happen in the future regarding this Ark? This is the main purpose of this article.
The Ten Commandments in the Heavenly Temple
Ellen G. White explains that the Ten Commandments were placed in the Ark of the Covenant in the heavenly sanctuary, just as they were placed in the earthly one:
“I saw the ark… Inside the ark were the tables of stone containing the Ten Commandments.” (EW 251, 252)
“Jesus revealed the lid of the ark, and I saw the stone tables on which the Ten Commandments were written.” (LS 95)
“In the heavenly sanctuary, in the dwelling place of God, His throne is established in righteousness and judgment. In the Most Holy Place is His law, the great principle of righteousness by which all men are judged. The ark that contains the tables of the law is covered by the mercy seat, before which Christ presents His blood for the sinner.” (GC 415)
The Original Law in Heaven
Ellen White explains that in heaven there is the actual law, and that on earth we have a copy of it, which is now written on the two stone tablets:
“The minds and hearts of the rebellious have long thought that they had the power to change the times and laws of Jehovah; but safe in the records of heaven, in the ark of God, are the true copies of God's commandments, written on the two stone tables. No authority on earth has the power to take those tables from their sacred hiding place beneath the mercy seat.” (ST February 28, 1878, par. 10)
“God’s law in the heavenly sanctuary is the original, where the commandments written on stone… were the perfect copies.” (GC 434)
The Hidden Earthly Ark of the Covenant
History tells us that “at the end of the reign of King Zedekiah, in the year 586 B.C., after Jerusalem had been besieged for a long time, it was invaded and destroyed (2 Kings 25:8-15).” (Nichol, Francis D., ed. 1977. The Seventh-Day Adventist Bible Commentary. Vol. 4. Review and Herald Publishing Association.)
Before the destruction of the Jerusalem temple in 586 B.C., the faithful people of God, not wanting the Ark of the Covenant to fall into the hands of the enemy, took it and hid it so that it would not fall into enemy hands:
“The faithful… took the ark with the stone tablets and… hid it in a cave… The ark is still hidden.” (4SG 114, 115)
“With sorrow and tears they hid the ark in a cave… It has never been touched since it was hidden.” (PK 453)
The Revelation of the Future
The prophet continues by explaining that, at some point, God will reveal the Ten Commandments again and make them visible:
“At the appointed time, God will bring forth these stone tables as a testimony to the whole world.” (Ms 122, 1901)
“When the judgment sits… then the stone tables, hidden by God until that day, will be shown openly as the standard of righteousness.” (RH January 28, 1909)
Two Events of Revelation
White explains that the Ten Commandments will be revealed to the world in two distinct times:
Before the Return of Jesus:
“The glory of the heavenly city pours forth from the open gates. Then, a hand holding the two stone tables, which are bound together, is seen in the sky. The prophet says: ‘The heavens declare His righteousness, for God Himself is the judge.’ Psalm 50:6. The sacred law, God’s righteousness, which was proclaimed from Sinai amidst thunder and lightning as the guide for life, is now revealed to humanity as the standard of judgment. The hand opens the tables, and there are seen the Ten Commandments, written as if with a pen of fire. The words are clear enough for all to read. Memories are awakened, the darkness of paganism and heresy is dispelled from every mind, and God’s ten words—brief, self-sufficient, and authoritative—are presented before the eyes of all the inhabitants of the earth.” (GC 639)
At the Glorious End of Christ's Reign:
Describing how the final glorification of Christ and the final judgment of humanity will take place at the end of the millennium, Ellen White says:
“They will see in His hands the tables of the divine law, the law they had despised and broken.” (GC 668, 669)
Conclusion
The Ark of the Covenant carries great historical and spiritual significance. Although it is hidden for now, the Scriptures indicate that God will reveal it again to the world as a testimony of His eternal law. Therefore, the question is not whether the Ark of the Covenant will be seen again, but when God will reveal it to the whole world.